SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Three years.”

The word lingered in Rowen’s mind, hours after the conversation had ended. He walk through the empty street of Mispi, pushing the wheelbarrow.

Elias curled up inside it. Sleeping? He couldn’t say. The boy’s eyes were closed, nevertheless.

Rowen stared at him too long to start boring holes into his head.

’For years, we sort clues about the disappearance of people. Now, I found someone who is willing to tell me. The problem is...why is he willing to tell me?’

Rowen stopped pushing the wheelbarrow and leaned down.

”Elias.”

”What?!” The question came out rather aggressive.

Rowen’s eye twitched, but he said nothing about it.

”Why are you willing to answer my questions? As far as am concerned, people who returned from where the light took them, do not like to disclose it.”

Elias didn’t answer for a few seconds. He kept his eyes closed. When Rowen thought he had finally fallen asleep, Elias spoke.

”I can just tell you and kill you right?”

The headmaster flinched.

”Kill...me?”

’He seriously want to kill me.’

”I’ll have you know Elias,” he continue to push the wheelbarrow. ”I am a S rank raider. Not just anyone can kill me.”

Elias eye snapped open. He sat up abruptly, and pulled up his knee.

”S rank? Is it something sweet?”

”Sweet?!” Rowen paused. ”Why would you think it’s sweet?”

Elias tilted his head.

”Master said am S rank, and it was sweet.”

Rowen frowned.

’As I thought. He’s a S rank, but someone already evaluated him? That’s unexpected. His data should be in our system, especially with his rare ranking, but it’s hidden, almost like someone has been keeping him hidden before three years ago.’

”So is it sweet? Can I eat it?” Elias pulled him out of thoughts again.

He chuckled.

”Silly boy. You can’t eat your ranking. It shows how strong you are.”

Elias subconsciously pouted.

’Is he disappointed?’

He turned into a town with the stand ”welcome to Cody”.

People were living here, but since it was nighttime, everyone had retired to bed. The moon cast faint light, mixed with the lamp poles and lanterns.

Elias eye went to the post stand and to the street lights. The mail box. The tiled street.

Rowen stared at him.

’He’s in awe of everything. They are new to him. This confirms seventy percent of my suspicions. He has been locked up, until three years ago. That will explain why he knows nothing, and why we didn’t recognise him. Someone has been hiding him.’

”Elias...”

”Stop calling me.”

He frowned, and stop pushing.

”You brat! Respect your elders!” He breath out. ”Anyways, let’s walk from here. With our speed with should get to my house in Cody before two minutes, but if I keep pushing you, we will spend two hours on the way.”

’I should be happy he’s following me without questions. I didn’t even have to ask.’

”I don’t want to walk.”

”Huh?!”

”I don’t want to walk.”

”I heard you the first time! I am asking why?!”

Elias look away, without replying.

”Aaah!!!!!”

’Calm down. He’s trying to spite me. I must do all I can to keep him with me, since I cannot simply knock him out.’

Before he could make a move, Elias climb out of the wheelbarrow. He dropped his legs and stood.

Rowen sighed softly.

’He changed his mind.’

”Let’s go. I’ll lead the way.”

He jumped off the ground and landed on the building.

”Let’s go!”

Elias stared up at him, expression unchanging. When Rowen moved with a speed that ordinary eyes couldn’t follow, Elias simply walk.

He took slow and precise steps.

Rowen soon returned.

”Heyy...huh?”

He narrowed his eyes and finally noticed the slight limp in Elias’s posture.

He jumped down.

”Did you hurt your leg?”

”Yes.”

He stepped closer.

’What was I expecting. He’s still a child.’

He bend down before Elias and grabbed his limping leg.

”Let me take a look at that.”

The leg was tightly bandaged, with scraps of wears that look like a top wear.

’So that’s why he’s not wearing clothes.’

He began to loosen it. His hand closed around the bandage rather carelessly and tugged it.

Elias wince, and withdrew his leg.

”Leave it.”

”Let me just—”

Elias smack his head.

”Leave it!”

He halted, hand twitching at the side.

”You damn brat!”

”C’mon now,” a voice cut through the shadow of the night. ”that’s no way to treat a child brother.”

Elias flinched back, eyes widened. Energy burst out from him in waves, pushing everything beside him as he took a fighting stance.

Rowen frowned at the boy’s reaction, as his twin stepped out of the shadows. Green eye, black hair, a perfect replication of Rowen.

”Don’t tell me you’re adopting another child? You already have fifteen of them.”

Rowen straightened up, and stretched carelessly.

”Am afraid it’s more complicated than that Razeal.”

Elias receded even more.

”Would you look at that. He’s scared of you.” Rowen muttered, even though he didn’t get it.

Elias didn’t flinch at the sight of Rowen who is an S rank, but somehow he raised his guard when he saw a C ranker.

”You...” Zeal smiled. ”Do you have special eyes?”

Elias flinched and that only confirmed Zeal’s questions. He stepped forward.

”Let me see.” He stopped before Elias, grip his chin, and turned his head left, then right.

”Hmm...”

Elias tried to shrink back.

”Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....”

Zeal went around him. Observed his height. Checked his temperature, his eyes, leg, mouth, hand and feets. He finally turned around to Rowen and smiled.

”So? Who is this child?”

”Aargghh! Zeal!”

Zeal chuckled and waved his hand.

”So you found a Black-eyed who is probably an S rank. He look like he didn’t just arrive in town though.”

”Precisely ten years.” Rowen replied.

Zeal raised a brow, his expression neutral.

”The alliance? Was he captured? Are we doomed?”

”I can’t believe you’ll say that with a straight face.”

”First,” Zeal turned around. ”He’s injured.”

He bent down to Elias’s leg and began to unwrap the bandage carefully. Rowen snorted and looked away.

”Are you trying to steal him?”

”I am trying to be sensible. Unlike some people with fifteen children and zero morals.”

Rowen energy burst into the street. He inched closer and grabbed his brother’s shoulder.

”Are you trying to die?”

”Sorry...”

Zeal unwrapped the bandage dress, and raised a brow.

”Would you look at that?”

Rowen gasped. He shoved off his brother and bent down.

”You...did you sew your leg?!”

Elias scratched his ear.

Rowen stood up and grabbed his shoulder.

”You sew the wound?! When?”

Elias incline his head.

”Three years?”

”Three years?!” They chorused.

Rowen groaned, purely frustrated. He stomped his feet and walk away, murmuring inaudible words to himself.

Zeal chuckled. He stepped closer to Elias and threw a hand around his shoulder.

”You must have had it tough right? For you to sew your own wound.”

Elias eyes went side. To the seemingly friendly gesture of Zeal’s hand on his shoulder. He snapped his eyes to the older man and then the direction Rowen disappeared into.

”Leave him be. He does that all the time.” Zeal shrugged.

”I know.”

His smile grew wide. He hopped before Elias and cower down.

”Get on. I’ll carry you on my back.”

”Huh?”

”Your wound is worst than it looks. It has festered. If we don’t take care, you might lose your leg.”

Elias didn’t regard the warning like anything useful. Instead he stared at Zeal’s back with some sort of dreamy look.

”C’mon. Hop on.” The older man urged.

”...”

”Are you scared of me?”

”No.” Elias stubbornly replied. He leaned forward, putting his hand over Zeal’s shoulder.

”Good boy.”

Zeal carried him, making sure he was comfortable and began to walk.

Silence descended. Except the faint trace of Rowen’s energy close by, and the light the moon shorn, nothing else mattered.

Elias’s hand tightened around his neck.

Zeal tilted his head.

”You’re like a child inside. Must have been hard for you huh?”

The surrounding silence swallowed Zeal’s voice. Elias blinked once. He cower his head.

”You feel like...”

Zeal smiled. ”Feel like?”

Elias fist curled.

”Mother.”